Endulo, kwakukhona inkosikazi eyayihlala nomndeni wayo emzini oseMbusweni wakwaZulu. Umndeni wawehlela olwandle olukhulu njalo ngeSonto. Izingane zazigubha isihlabathi futhi zidlale nasemagagasini. Inkosikazi yayipheka phansi ngesikhathi umyeni wayo eyobheka izinkuni ezikhishelwe ngaphandle ulwandle ukuze abaze izinto ezinhle: izinyoni, abantu, kanye nazo zonke izinhlobo zezilwane.
Phakathi nesonto umndeni wawusebenza kanzima bese uhlala eduze nomlilo ebusuku. Kwakuba mnyama kakhulu ukuthi bangasebenza noma badlale noma babaze, futhi sasisuke sisekude isikhathi sokulala. Kanti lesi kwakuba yisikhathi izingane ezicela ngaso umama wazo ukuthi azixoxele indaba.
“Mama,” besho bemncenga, “sifuna izindaba. Sicela usixoxele indaba.”
Kodwa noma wayezama kakhulu kangakanani ukucabanga indaba, wayengakwazi ukuyicabanga. Kwakungekho phakathi kwakhe nomyeni wakhe owayenezindaba azozixoxa.
Ngelinye ilanga, inkosikazi yacela usizo komakhelwane.
“Ngabe zikhona izindaba eninazo?” ibuza.
“Cha-a-a-a,” benikina amakhanda abo, “asinazo.”
Kwakungekho zindaba. Kwakungekho maphupho … futhi kungekho zinsumansumane.
Umyeni wakhe wenza isiphakamiso wathi, “Nkosikazi, ngicabanga ukuthi kumele uyofuna izindaba. Ngizozinakekela izingane zethu nendlu. Thola izindaba bese ubuya nazo.”
Ngakho inkosikazi yanga abomndeni wayo yabavalelisa yase ihamba. Yanquma
ukubuza lonke uhlobo lwesilwane eyayihlangana naso ukuthi ngabe sinayo yini indaba esingabelana nayo ngayo. Isilwane sokuqala eyahlangana naso kwakuwumvundla. Waqhamuka uthi gxu gxu,ngezinyawo zawo ezinkulu.
“Mvundla!” imemeza. “Ngabe unazo izindaba?”
“Izindaba?” kubuza uMvundla. “O, nginamakhulu, nginezinkulungwane, cha … ngineziyizigidi.”
“Mvundla, ngicela ungiphe izindaba ukuze ngikwazi ukujabulisa izingane.”
“Mmmm…” kusho uMvundla. “Anginaso isikhathi. Nangaphandle kwalokho … izindaba emini? …Cha bo!” Wase uthi gxu, gxu, gxu,wahamba.
Kamuva yabona isikhova. yathi uma isibuza ukuthi ngabe sinazo yini izindaba sashaya amaphiko aso ngolaka.
“Ungubani … futhi … ungivuselani? Anginazindaba. Hamba uye enkwazini. Iyona esuke ingalele emini. Buza yona.”
Ngakho-ke inkosikazi yahamba yaya esizalweni soMfula uThukela lapho kwakuzingela khona inkwazi. Ngesikhathi iyibona yayibiza ngegama.
Inkwazi yaklewula ibhekise kuye. “KOW! kow-kow-kow! Kungani ungiphazamisa ngizingela?”
“O, Nkwazi ekhaliphile,” kusho inkosikazi, “ngicinga izindaba. Ngabe uyazi lapho ngingazithola khona?”
“Yebo,” kusho iNkwazi, “ngiyazi ukuthi ubani ongakusiza. Yana lapho amadwala ehlangana khona nolwandle. Yima lapho bese umemeza ufudu olukhulu lwasolwandle.”
Inkosikazi yalubonga yase yehlela olwandle. Yayisalubize kabili nje ufudu olukhulu lwasolwandle ngesikhathi luvumbuka emanzini, kwakapaka amanzi amaningi.
“Ungesabi,” kusho uFudu Lwasolandle. “Bambelela egobolondweni lami. Ngizokuhambisa ebantwini basolwandle abazi zonke izinto kanye nazo zonke izindaba.”
Behla, behla, behla nolwandle, baze bafika phansi ekugcineni kolwandle,
baqonda ngqo enkosini nendlovukazi yolwandle.
“Ubani lo?” kubuza inkosi.
Yinkosikazi evela endaweni ewumhlabathi owomile ngaphezu kwamanzi,” kunyenyeza indlovukazi.
“Ngabe ufunani, nkosikazi evela endaweni engumhlabathi owomile?” kubuza indlovukazi.
“Izindaba, Ndlovukazi. Ngabe zikhona eninazo engingazixoxela abantu bakithi?”
“Sinazo,” kusho indlovukazi. “Kodwa ngabe unayo into ongasipha yona uma sikunika lezi zindaba?”
“Ningathandani pho?” kubuza inkosikazi.
Inkosi nendlovukazi bamamatheka. “Asikwazi ukukhuphukela endaweni yenu esemhlabathini owomile. Singathanda khona ukubona ukuthi kunjani. Siphathele okuthile ukuze usikhombise ukuthi kukhona izilwane nabantu abanjani.”
“Ngizokwenzenjalo,” kusho inkosikazi.
Ufudu olukhulu lwasolwandle lwayibuyisela emuva endaweni esemhlabathini owomile lwayilinda ngesikhathi isaphuthuma ekhaya iyoxoxela umyeni wayo yonke into.
“O” washo ngesasasa. “Nginokuningi okubaziwe okuyizilwane, izinyoni nabantu. Ungakuthatha konke.”
Inkosikazi yabuyela olwandle ngokushesha iphethe okubaziwe okuyinqwaba. Ufudu lwaphinda lwatshuza lwehla, lwehla, lwehla naye.
Kwathi uma inkosi nendlovukazi bebona okubaziwe, bajabula kakhulu bayinikeza igobolondo elihle.
“Sinikeza wena nabantu bakini lesi sipho sezindaba. Njalo uma ufuna izindaba, phakamisa lokhu ukubeke endlebeni bese uyalalela,” kusho bona.
“Kodwa ukhumbule lokhu,” inkosi imhlebela endlebeni, “indaba yakho yokuqala ngqa iqale ngohambo lwakho lokuza lapha ezansi.”
Kwathi ekugcineni lapho inkosikazi isibuyela osebeni, yafica ilindwe umyeni wayo, izingane zayo kanye nabo bonke abantu basemzini. Babebase umlilo omkhulu owawuqhuma ukhafulele izinhlansi ebumnyameni.
“Manje,” besho bemmemeza, “sixoxele indaba! Sixoxele indaba!”
Inkosikazi yamamatheka. Yabamba igobolondo yathi, “Yebo … Nal’ibali … nansi indaba. Ssshhh. Lalelani-ke manje.”
Yaxoxwa kanjalo-ke indaba yokuqala.
Ngemva kwalokho inkosikazi yabeka igobolondo endlebeni yayo yaxoxa izindaba eziningi.Kanti uma le kuyindaba yokuqala oyizwile, khumbula ukuthi, ziningi kakhulu ezilandelayo.
